Fans always on after suspending/standby - Dell XPS 17 9700

Hi,

I got a Dell XPS 17" (9700), which I generally like. But after it went to suspension/standby the fan control goes crazy.

The fans and heat control of this laptop is good in general. Most of the time the fans aren’t needed while browsing or editing documents. So, it’s a pleasantly quiet experience. But if the system goes into standby mode and wakes up after that – oh boy…

Either the fans will start spinning continuously at a high medium speed, or they go on and off (but with full speed to compensate for the short period of silence).

I don’t use any other applications or do any other work after the standby. The laptop’s case feels the same—i.e., equally hot/cold regardless if it was in standby or not, but the fans won’t care.

If I perform a reboot everything is back to normal.

How can I debug this?

Key findings:

  • fans are noisy after standby for no reason
  • system’s temperature is/feels the same during work before and after standby
  • I don’t do resource heavy tasks, which could lead to the need for high scale cooling
  • Reboot fixes the problem
Inxi
System:
  Kernel: 5.15.114-2-MANJARO arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.1.1
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64
    root=UUID=b87ec433-16bf-406f-8eb6-1515bfe7e05a rw quiet
    udev.log_priority=3 sysrq_always_enabled=1
  Desktop: GNOME v: 44.1 tk: GTK v: 3.24.37 wm: gnome-shell dm: GDM v: 44.1
    Distro: Manjaro Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Dell product: XPS 17 9700 v: N/A
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Dell model: 0H7HN7 v: A00 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Dell
    v: 1.8.2 date: 05/21/2021
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 57.7 Wh (93.4%) condition: 61.8/95.1 Wh (65.0%)
    volts: 12.9 min: 11.4 model: SMP DELL 01RR3YM type: Li-poly serial: <filter>
    status: charging
Memory:
  System RAM: available: 15.38 GiB used: 14.21 GiB (92.4%)
  RAM Report: permissions: Unable to run dmidecode. Root privileges required.
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-10750H bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Comet Lake
    gen: core 10 level: v3 note: check built: 2020 process: Intel 14nm family: 6
    model-id: 0xA5 (165) stepping: 2 microcode: 0xF6
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 6 tpc: 2 threads: 12 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 384 KiB desc: d-6x32 KiB; i-6x32 KiB L2: 1.5 MiB desc: 6x256 KiB
    L3: 12 MiB desc: 1x12 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 800/5000 scaling: driver: intel_pstate
    governor: powersave cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 5: 800 6: 800 7: 800
    8: 800 9: 800 10: 800 11: 800 12: 800 bogomips: 62431
  Flags: 3dnowprefetch abm acpi adx aes aperfmperf apic arat
    arch_capabilities arch_perfmon art avx avx2 bmi1 bmi2 bts clflush
    clflushopt cmov constant_tsc cpuid cpuid_fault cx16 cx8 de ds_cpl dtes64
    dtherm dts epb ept ept_ad erms est f16c flexpriority flush_l1d fma fpu
    fsgsbase fxsr ht hwp hwp_act_window hwp_epp hwp_notify ibpb ibrs
    ibrs_enhanced ida intel_pt invpcid invpcid_single lahf_lm lm mca mce
    md_clear mmx monitor movbe mpx msr mtrr nonstop_tsc nopl nx ospke pae pat
    pbe pcid pclmulqdq pdcm pdpe1gb pebs pge pku pln pni popcnt pse pse36 pts
    rdrand rdseed rdtscp rep_good sdbg sep smap smep ss ssbd sse sse2 sse4_1
    sse4_2 ssse3 stibp syscall tm tm2 tpr_shadow tsc tsc_adjust
    tsc_deadline_timer vme vmx vnmi vpid x2apic xgetbv1 xsave xsavec xsaveopt
    xsaves xtopology xtpr
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: retbleed mitigation: Enhanced IBRS
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via
    prctl and seccomp
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer
    sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 status: Vulnerable: eIBRS with unprivileged eBPF
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel CometLake-H GT2 [UHD Graphics] vendor: Dell driver: i915
    v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20 ports:
    active: eDP-1 empty: DP-1,DP-2,DP-3 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:9bc4
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: NVIDIA TU117M [GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Mobile] vendor: Dell
    driver: nouveau v: kernel non-free: 530.xx+ status: current (as of 2023-05)
    arch: Turing code: TUxxx process: TSMC 12nm FF built: 2018-22 pcie: gen: 3
    speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 8 link-max: lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.0
    chip-ID: 10de:1f95 class-ID: 0302 temp: 36.0 C
  Device-3: Microdia Integrated_Webcam_HD driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-5:3 chip-ID: 0c45:6a0c
    class-ID: 0e02
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.8 with: Xwayland v: 23.1.1
    compositor: gnome-shell driver: X: loaded: modesetting,nvidia
    unloaded: nouveau alternate: fbdev,nv,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915
    display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: Sharp 0x14d6 built: 2020 res: 3840x2400 dpi: 266
    gamma: 1.2 size: 366x229mm (14.41x9.02") diag: 432mm (17") ratio: 16:10
    modes: 3840x2400
  Message: No known Wayland EGL/GBM data sources. API: EGL/GBM
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Comet Lake PCH cAVS vendor: Dell
    driver: sof-audio-pci-intel-cnl alternate: snd_hda_intel, snd_soc_skl,
    snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:06c8 class-ID: 0401
  API: ALSA v: k5.15.114-2-MANJARO status: kernel-api with: aoss
    type: oss-emulator tools: alsactl,alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: sndiod v: N/A status: off tools: aucat,midicat,sndioctl
  Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.22 status: off tools: N/A
  Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.70 status: off with: pipewire-media-session
    status: active tools: pw-cli
  Server-4: PulseAudio v: 16.1 status: active with: 1: pulseaudio-alsa
    type: plugin 2: pulseaudio-jack type: module tools: pacat,pactl,pavucontrol
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Comet Lake PCH CNVi WiFi vendor: Rivet Networks Wi-Fi 6
    AX1650s 160MHz driver: iwlwifi v: kernel bus-ID: 00:14.3 chip-ID: 8086:06f0
    class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp0s20f3 state: up mac: <filter>
  IP v4: <filter> type: dynamic noprefixroute scope: global
    broadcast: <filter>
  IP v6: <filter> type: dynamic noprefixroute scope: global
  IP v6: <filter> type: noprefixroute scope: link
  IF-ID-1: br-3bfee945b4de state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: unknown
    mac: <filter>
  IP v4: <filter> scope: global broadcast: <filter>
  IP v6: <filter> scope: link
  IF-ID-2: br-59957367eef3 state: down mac: <filter>
  IP v4: <filter> scope: global broadcast: <filter>
  IF-ID-3: br-62adf58f3919 state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: unknown
    mac: <filter>
  Message: Output throttled. IPs: 2; Limit: 10; Override: --limit [1-x;-1
    all]
  IF-ID-4: br-cece9bf474ac state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: unknown
    mac: <filter>
  Message: Output throttled. IPs: 2; Limit: 10; Override: --limit [1-x;-1
    all]
  IF-ID-5: docker0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Message: Output throttled. IPs: 1; Limit: 10; Override: --limit [1-x;-1
    all]
  IF-ID-6: veth0faeddc state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-7: veth10a8226 state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-8: veth3375a12 state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-9: veth421cc23 state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-10: veth91972ab state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full
    mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-11: vetha14c026 state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full
    mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-12: vethcbb466c state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full
    mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-13: vethcf21e8a state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full
    mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-14: vethd6e3eec state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full
    mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-15: vethfb6db47 state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full
    mac: <filter>
  WAN IP: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel AX201 Bluetooth driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 1-14:4 chip-ID: 8087:0026
    class-ID: e001
  Report: rfkill ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: up address: see --recommends
Logical:
  Message: No logical block device data found.
RAID:
  Message: No RAID data found.
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 953.87 GiB used: 619.95 GiB (65.0%)
  SMART Message: Required tool smartctl not installed. Check --recommends
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: SK Hynix model: PC611 NVMe 1TB
    size: 953.87 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s
    lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: 11001111 temp: 27.9 C
    scheme: GPT
  Message: No optical or floppy data found.
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 135.09 GiB size: 131.91 GiB (97.65%)
    used: 120.47 GiB (91.3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p12 maj-min: 259:12
    label: N/A uuid: b87ec433-16bf-406f-8eb6-1515bfe7e05a
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 150 MiB size: 146 MiB (97.33%)
    used: 97.2 MiB (66.6%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1 label: ESP
    uuid: 9C30-A34D
  ID-3: /media/Daten raw-size: 571.59 GiB size: 561.54 GiB (98.24%)
    used: 489.37 GiB (87.1%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p11 maj-min: 259:11
    label: Daten uuid: 7ad5b584-d996-4552-87d8-6e958bb9660c
  ID-4: /var/www raw-size: 15 GiB size: 14.66 GiB (97.75%)
    used: 10.11 GiB (69.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p9 maj-min: 259:9
    label: N/A uuid: 83744ab6-28d7-442c-9554-9c394711f480
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 60 (default) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 15.62 GiB used: 6.21 GiB (39.8%) priority: -2
    file: /swapfile
Unmounted:
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1p10 maj-min: 259:10 size: 67 GiB fs: ext4 label: Opt
    uuid: a0ee0cd4-6ad0-4d4e-8165-4fb037cfa184
  ID-2: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2 size: 128 MiB fs: <superuser required>
    label: N/A uuid: N/A
  ID-3: /dev/nvme0n1p3 maj-min: 259:3 size: 71.14 GiB fs: ntfs label: OS
    uuid: B022D3EF22D3B894
  ID-4: /dev/nvme0n1p4 maj-min: 259:4 size: 990 MiB fs: ntfs
    label: WINRETOOLS uuid: 66CEA5B0CEA57947
  ID-5: /dev/nvme0n1p5 maj-min: 259:5 size: 16.41 GiB fs: ntfs label: Image
    uuid: 109CA5DC9CA5BC9A
  ID-6: /dev/nvme0n1p6 maj-min: 259:6 size: 1.39 GiB fs: ntfs
    label: DELLSUPPORT uuid: 2CD2D028D2CFF45C
  ID-7: /dev/nvme0n1p7 maj-min: 259:7 size: 50 GiB fs: ext4
    label: ManXfceRoot uuid: 57518ac6-4cc4-4081-b9d0-b8811de94c44
  ID-8: /dev/nvme0n1p8 maj-min: 259:8 size: 25 GiB fs: ext4 label: Home
    uuid: 484a7809-89fd-442b-b5fe-2274c38b3503
USB:
  Hub-1: 1-0:1 info: hi-speed hub with single TT ports: 16 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 chip-ID: 1d6b:0002
    class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 1-1:2 info: Shenzhen Goodix FingerPrint type: <vendor specific>
    driver: N/A interfaces: 1 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s (1.4 MiB/s) lanes: 1
    mode: 1.1 power: 100mA chip-ID: 27c6:533c class-ID: ff00
  Device-2: 1-5:3 info: Microdia Integrated_Webcam_HD type: video
    driver: uvcvideo interfaces: 4 rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1
    mode: 2.0 power: 500mA chip-ID: 0c45:6a0c class-ID: 0e02
  Device-3: 1-14:4 info: Intel AX201 Bluetooth type: bluetooth driver: btusb
    interfaces: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s (1.4 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 1.1
    power: 100mA chip-ID: 8087:0026 class-ID: e001
  Hub-2: 2-0:1 info: super-speed hub ports: 10 rev: 3.1
    speed: 10 Gb/s (1.16 GiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-2x1 chip-ID: 1d6b:0003
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-3: 3-0:1 info: hi-speed hub with single TT ports: 2 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 chip-ID: 1d6b:0002
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-4: 4-0:1 info: super-speed hub ports: 2 rev: 3.1
    speed: 10 Gb/s (1.16 GiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-2x1 chip-ID: 1d6b:0003
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-5: 5-0:1 info: hi-speed hub with single TT ports: 2 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 chip-ID: 1d6b:0002
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-6: 6-0:1 info: super-speed hub ports: 2 rev: 3.1
    speed: 10 Gb/s (1.16 GiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-2x1 chip-ID: 1d6b:0003
    class-ID: 0900
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 51.0 C pch: 69.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nouveau
    temp: 36.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 2480 fan-2: 2527
Info:
  Processes: 474 Uptime: 5h 9m wakeups: 20820 Init: systemd v: 253
  default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 13.1.1 clang: 15.0.7
  Packages: 1948 pm: pacman pkgs: 1937 libs: 424
  tools: gnome-software,pamac,yay pm: flatpak pkgs: 11 Shell: Zsh v: 5.9
  running-in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.3.27

Looks like the Fans are not controlled by the UEFI, but by the OS. So I guess you have to deal with fancontrol and sensors.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Fan_speed_control

If you have a chance to switch to UEFI controlled Fans, then do so. There is a bug mentioned which occur on wakeups:

Fancontrol stops working after suspend–wake cycles

Unfortunately, fancontrol does not work after suspending. As per the filed bug, you will have to restart fancontrol after suspending. This can be achieved automatically by a systemd hook.

How did you figured that?

I installed dell-bios-fan-control and ran # dell-bios-fan-control 1, but inxi output didn’t change—besides other values for RPM and temps.

Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 50.0 C pch: 66.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nouveau
    temp: 34.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 1708 fan-2: 1696

Fans run slower, but can’t tell, if it solved the problem, yet, though.

I use i8kutils to set a custom fan curve on my Dell Inspiron 5575. See Fan speed control - ArchWiki

Because on systems where the UEFI controls the fans, you will never see the Fan speed. Only the temperature.

 swap-1 type: file size: 15.62 GiB used: 6.21 GiB (39.8%) 

It seems like something is going on in the background. Is that for suspending/standby?

Can’t tell, actually. I created the swap file during the initial system set up, as I was used to it.

The only things I did(/do) today was

  • browsing (but I’m one of those who use tabs as bookmarks and have >30 tabs open, one is video on demand)
  • while obisdian and pdf-xchange editor (via wine) is running.

That does not seem like much to me. I don’t use standby, suspend or hibernation on any of my xfce installs and I never have swap usage like that. So, I was wondering if somebody here thinks that is out of line or normal. It could be a non-factor in your situation, of course. Best of luck in getting it sorted out.

you are using nouveau, instead of nvidia drivers, and that could be also a possible reason for your issue…

Please consult Dell XPS 17 (9700) - ArchWiki